The gray and white glass building will resemble a pinstripe suit, and the floor plans are named after great movie legends like Brando, Newman and Redford. The one- and two-bedroom units, which average 1,200 square feet, are priced between $400,000 and $1.4 million.

Well-heeled Houstonians can save money by owning a condominium unit at Marlowe rather than renting an apartment downtown, Davis said. Marketing materials for Marlowe state that someone making at least $150,000 a year with good credit theoretically can have a lower monthly mortgage than the average downtown apartment rent of $2,800 per month.

“Why would you want to rent and throw your money into the street?” Davis said. “We want to get people who rent into homeownership. That’s the premise for Marlowe.”

Davis also hopes his in-unit and common-area amenities will entice renters into homeownership.

Building amenities including a fitness center; 24-hour concierge and valet parking; a starlight pool and hot tub; a steam room, massage room and sauna; an outdoor fire pit, a resident room and a guest apartment that residents’ visitors can use for a daily fee.

The amenities and pricing scheme has attracted some buyers already. In the two weeks since its sales office opened, the Marlowe has sold 10 units, Davis said.

“Houston is building 25,000 apartments but I think there’s room for couple hundred condominiums,” Davis said. “There’s demand for people who want to live in a high-rise condominium but not much product.”

The Marlowe also is the only condominium project approved by the Downtown Living Initiative, a city of Houston program that awards $15,000 in tax breaks per multifamily unit built downtown. The Marlowe is one of nine multifamily projects planned for downtown. Another nine projects are currently under construction, and one apartment project — SkyHouse Houston — was finished last year. Click here to read more about the other multifamily and commercial projects under development at Westcreek.